Top 50 Courses for Women

The July issue of Golf Digest just arrived, and Purgatory once again made it onto the list America’s Top 50 Courses for Women/2013! We even moved up one spot from #34 to #33.

Two new sets of combo tees help all golfers “tee it forward.”

We have been on the list every year it has come out since 2003. It’s a huge honor, and I always drop everything I am doing when they call with their list of questions.

It’s great to walk into a golf shop and be greated by a welcoming staff and a sea of stylish women’s apparel and gear. But for a course to be Top-50 material, we need to see great programs for women, flexible playing options (nine-hole loops, or even shorter) and a progressive design philosophy that treats women who evaluate courses for this ranking pay special attention to tee options and design. Each layout on our top 50 has at least one set of tees less than 5,300 yards, two sets with Slope and Course Ratings for women, and minimal or no forced carries from the forward tees.

The ideal layout challenges long hitters yet delivers a fun round for average players. Quality course conditions are important too, and it’s a plus to have lots of amenities.

This year we welcome eight newcomers. It’s not that we don’t love the others, but more and more courses are embracing the “tee it forward” and “time for nine” zeitgeist. As they’ve added shorter tees (typically about 4,700 yards), the ones with forward tees closer to 5,300 yards aren’t as appealing.